Greetings!

Yep, it's been quite a while since the last RockIt Scientist newsletter, for which I apologize. I won't say that some of us work for a living - I used that excuse the last time!

This is the first of the "new look" (much shortened!) newsletters that will be going out, hopefully on a weekly, or, more probably, on a fortnightly basis, time permitting. The newsletter will include the previous Friday's playlist, as well as a few other odds and sods, such as snippets of news, new/recent CD & DVD releases etc.

Marc's replacement will be announced shortly.

We're also very happy to announce that Jimmy's Killer Prawns have joined The Rockfest as a sponsor. We're very grateful to them for their support, as we are to Wild & Marr for the fantastic new CD players. Now if only we can find someone to service those damned 8 track machines...........!

Had a live interview with the guys from very promising SA metal act Inersha a few weeks ago. Remember the name - they're going places. Listen out for many more live interviews with other exciting and promising (and established!) bands/artists in the weeks to come on The RockIt Scientist.

I've been waxing lyrical about Gordon's Suitcase, who I've been hearing great things about. I finally got a copy of the album, (thanks, Jess!), and I've got to tell you that this jazz outfit are undoubtedly one of the best of the genre I've heard for a long time in South Africa! I'll be featuring them on The RockIt Scientist on Friday 18th August, with, hopefully, a live interview in the near future.

Other great recent South African releases you need to check out, and that you've heard and can expect to continue hearing on The RockIt Scientist in the weeks to come, are:

Wickhead - A Crush on Revelation (Authentic Ideas)

Misericord - Another End (Alterego)

Deity's Muse - The Eyes Don't See What The Heart Bleeds (ENT Entertainment)

Robin Auld - Diamond Of a Day (Bowline)

The Hellphones - This Is How (Sheer)

Orkez - In Opsomming (Bowline)

Falling Short - Feel Free To Complain (Swinton Records)

Stean ennie Crank-shafts - Tla! (Bowline)

Jan Blom - 'n Stille Runaway (Bowline)

Gian Groen - Lied Van Die Engele (Bowline)

Holly & The Woods - 2 track EP

Check your local press (or listen to The RockIt Scientist every Friday night between 10.00pm and 01.00am!) for details of live gigs, etc.

Other new/recent releases you can expect to hear on The RockIt Scientist in the near future:

Mandrill - Live at Montreux 2002

Cactus - V

Survivor - Reach

Leslie West - Blue Me

From Behind - Game Over (oddly enough, not from Greece. Sweden, actually)

Glenn Hughes - Music For The Divide

Rhino Bucket - And Then It Got Ugly

Mother's Finest - Live at Villa Berg

.....and a whole lot more, as well as the usual smattering of known, as well as rare and forgotten gems that no-one knows!

To Gerard Ziegler, Paul Gibbs and Julie Du Preez. People like you are very rare and very special.

If you haven't yet joined The Rockfest Club, why not? You can download the application form via the Rockfest website. Your support in helping to keep The Rockfest on the airwaves is really appreciated. There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs, my personal favourite being a free weekend stay at Hotel Nigeria in Hillbrow. Second prize is a whole week stay at Hotel Nigeria, with a dinner of your choice, with any one of ten druglords. A bullet proof vest, a helmet, a prayer book and running shoes will be supplied free of charge to the first person who can say "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" backwards after having listened to five hours of kwaito or techno music at full volume.

Yes, I know...it's getting late.

Check out last week's playlist (which will also be posted on the "Playlists" page)

See ya.